Editorial Com ni cut. 57 
ontological nouns and adjectives not generic nor specific, these 
being- gathered in an index. The preface is by Dr. John M. 
Clarke. This work is accompanied by a geological map of the 
Niagara river by Dr. Grabau, and by several plates showing 
natural scenery. Dr. Clarke states that it is a volume produced 
bv the co-operation of the Buffalo Society of Sciences and the 
department of paleontology of the New York State Museum, 
but the work of collection of the data and the discussion of the 
same is wholly by Dr. Grabau. It is very thoroughly and care- 
fully done, and the volume certainly constitutes a suitable and 
creditable summary of the work of the century bestowed by ge- 
ologists on the features of the cataract and its gorge, and on 
their pleistocene history. The geologists of the coming cen- 
tury, having this epitome and guide, will certainly have no 
mean opinion of the labor of their predecessors on this greatest 
object lesson of pleistocene geology. 
Ine investigations of Hall, whether on the measurements of 
the gorge or on the rocks and their fossils, in 1837-43. of Lyell, 
Logan, Gilbert, Upham, Spencer, Leverett, Taylor and others, 
and their aggregate results, are herfe cast into one mold, from 
which is ol)tained a consistent general historv of the gorge and 
of the falls. The volume, however, is more than this. It dis- 
cusses the entire geologic history of the region, detailing the 
physical changes which were introduced bv the successive 
epochs. It also enumerates, with brief descriptions and numer- 
ous illustrations, the fossils that have been found in the region 
pertaining to the Silurian. The fossils of the Devonian are 
not enumerated. The last chapter is a distinct contribution to 
science, being a complete catalogue, with descriptions and refer- 
ences to authorities of the post-TMiocene fossils of the Niagara 
gravels, by Elizabeth J. Letson. director of the museum of the 
Bufifalo Society of Natural Sciences. These post-Pliocene fos- 
sils are from ( loat island. Prospect park. Queen \'ictoria ])ark. 
Muddy creek. Whirlpool (both sides of the river) and L^Dster's 
flats. These fossils are also de?cril)ed and illustrated. The ap- 
pendix consists of a "partial bibliograpln- of the geologv of 
Niap-ara and the great lakes." 
The volume is destined to become a classic of geological lit- 
erature, e(|ually suitable for the drawing room and tlie class- 
room. N. II. NV. 
